The present invention relates to lead making apparatus, and particularly to apparatus for automatically applying leads to opposite ends of electrical terminals.
Apparatus for making electrical leads are well known. U.S. Pat. No. 3,019,679 discloses such an apparatus of the type comprising a pair of normally aligned conductor transfer heads fixed on vertical transfer head shafts, conductor cutting and stripping means comprising closable blades positioned between said transfer heads, and conductor feed means for feeding a predetermined length of wire through said transfer heads and between said blades. The apparatus further comprises a pair of conductor terminating stations remote from said cutting and stripping means and means for rotating the transfer heads from their normally aligned positions to positions adjacent respective terminating stations, the means for rotating the transfer heads acting on the transfer head shafts. Means for moving each of the transfer heads vertically is provided. Each transfer head carries a slide member which is movable toward and away from the blades when the heads are aligned, and toward and away from said terminating stations when the transfer heads are adjacent the terminating stations, and clamping means on each of the slide members for clamping fed conductor at the conclusion of feeding thereof.
In the above described apparatus, the means for moving the transfer heads vertically comprises respective links which are pivotally mounted at one end and bifurcated at the other end where they attach to spindles axially fixed on the transfer head shafts. Continuously rotating roller cams acting on the lever arms intermediate the ends effect vertical movement of the shafts, which may be adjusted by varying the height of the pivot end of the links. The vertical movement is not controlled independently between the normally aligned and terminating positions of the heads; limits of vertical movement are thus the same at both positions. Further, the timing of the vertical motion of the transfer head shafts cannot be changed without changing the roller cams. Thus, when it is desired to change from open barrel to closed barrel type terminals, considerable down time is required for the change.
For other prior art lead makers employing mechanical linkages, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,954,599 and 3,030,694. It should be noted that several manufacturers provide lead making equipment which utilizes numerous pneumatically controlled mechanisms. These suffer the disadvantage of lower lead-making speed and more frequent maintenance due to numerous valves and switches.